Those Were the Days
by DramaQueen92
Summary: Bo leaves Moth for family, but comes back. Based on the anthology of Hunting the Wild Pineapple By Thea Astley


**Those Were the Days**

Moth sat looking at the waves crashing into the shore. It was a really mice day, clear blue skies, and crystal clear ocean and even though it was always humid in Mange, it was relatively cool.

Moth was smoking, enjoying her 'day off' as she called it. Wait-a-while was at school, she had finally gotten money from her parents after she pleaded with them to help Wait-a-While. The letter wasn't extremely true but they sent her a load of cash. It paid for his education, with some left over, which she used and shared with the family.

As she looked out over the horizon she reflected on when Bo had left. It was a sad day. The monsoon rain was pouring and she could hardly see through the thick gray curtain of rain. She cried and she begged him not to leave, she pleaded because of her love for him and Wait-a-While. Wait-a-While ran away that evening. Bo had heard that his brother had been injured and he immediately packed up his stuff and went. As he left Moth watched his figure grow smaller and smaller until the rain engulfed him. Her crystal like tears ran down her face mixing with the rain and she stood there in a state of quiet shock listen to the rain pound on the roof of her van. When he left she packed up her and Wait-a-While's belongings and left for the coast. She had no idea if she would see him again.

Moth couldn't hold back the tears. She watched the swirling smoke of her cigarette through her glistening tears. Lost in thought about her lost love, she forgot that is was almost time for her to pick up Wait-a-While. She never worries about him though; he was good at getting back to their camp, if she happened to be on a high.

The school he attended wasn't the best, it was a dump. The lush green of the forest behind had slowly clawed itself around the old buildings giving the school a jungle quality. Moth chose it because it was the cheapest school in the area, leaving more money for her; also it wasn't far from their campsite. Wait-a-While was a quite boy that average in school and was different from the other kids. He found one person Joe, that he could be his friends with. Joe, despite the taunts and jeers for the other kids, found that he enjoyed hanging out with Wait-a-While at lunchtimes and after school. Joe reminded Wait-a-While of someone he couldn't quite remember.

Many times after the bell had rung, Moth wasn't there among the other parents, to pick him up. He quickly learnt to walk home, rather than wait. The first time he waited the sky had turned from blue to dusty pink, then falling to a midnight blue before she came. When the bell rang, Joe and him got up and put away the tattered old book that passed as teaching materials away and headed out. Moth was no where to be seen, as usual. "Want to go down to the beach?" Joe asked quietly, his mother wasn't there either. Wait-a-While nodded and they set off towards the beach.

Moth was suddenly pulled out of her trance when a drop of water hit her on the face. She got up and looked out. Wait-a-While was in the sea having fun, and there was another boy with him. He stood up and Moth gasped. This kid looked like Bo. The waves crashed around and on him as he laughed. For a few moments she thought it was him there in the surf with Wait-a-While like the old days and their trips to the beach. She smiled at the memory. He used to swim out with Wait-a-While as far as he could. They used to look like they were having so much fun. Poor Wait-a-While, he really missed Bo deep down, she did as well. He never smiled much these days especially while Moth was around. Seeing him mucking around in the ocean with his friend brought a fresh set of tears to her eyes. He looked up and they locked eyes, he gave the most dazzling smile to her. She smiled back through her tears of joy.

The huge smile he gave her made her cry harder. She sat down and lit up another cigarette and watched her boy, crying. She wished Bo could have been there to share the moment with her.

Wait-a-While only had a week of school left for the year. Once he had finished Moth packed up their stuff and they went for a visit to the old family. They made it to the campsite while it was still light. Remembering that today was the day everyone went to pick up their dole. She packed the van in an empty place that was next to the area she used to live in. Around six, the rich smell of the forest whispered its way into their nostrils. The others in the family slowly made their way back to their homes.

She watched each of them as they came back into the camp, carrying whatever they purchased with their doles. She inspected each face to see if she recognised anyone. Wait-a-While was in the van reading an old tattered book he had found. Every one of the campsites had occupants come back except for one. The one next to Moth stayed vacant. A man walked through the rusty gate. Moth couldn't tell who it was because the figure was shrouded in the darkness of the early night time. The man walked up to the van and went inside. He tinkered around for a while before he came back out. Moth watched him in his van, watched him close all the curtains. Eventually the man opened his door; light flooded onto the ground the figure was silhouetted. Moth screamed. Wait-a-While looked up and got out of the van. Moth ran up to the man, Wait-a-While followed. "Bo!"

"Moth".


End file.
